The State of California’s recently approved 2018-19 budget makes a vital, and most welcome, investment in higher education and in the future of our state.

The budget will provide the California State University system with an ongoing increase of $197.1 million as well as $161.1 million in one-time funding to expand enrollment, address deferred maintenance, and bolster our efforts to improve student retention and graduation rates. It represents substantial progress from Gov. Brown’s original budget proposals for the CSU.

That progress did not happen by accident. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our local legislators – Sen. William Monning, and Assembly Members Anna Caballero and Mark Stone – for being strong allies in our efforts. Also, friends of the CSU from across the state were effective advocates in talking with their individual legislators about the need for this funding.

While the CSU’s specific allocations to each campus are still being calculated, we are certain that this funding boost will better support us in providing a quality education to students at Cal State Monterey Bay. Through the funds provided for the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025, we will continue to improve our retention rates and shorten the time our students will require to earn degrees.

Our students also will not face a tuition increase this fall, thus maintaining the CSU’s status as one of the best bargains in U.S. higher education.

Public money invested in higher education leads to increased tax revenues generated by better-educated employees and entrepreneurs. Improved education levels also have a positive impact on a long list of social indicators such as homelessness, incarceration, unemployment and health and wellness.

We greatly appreciate this vote of confidence in what we are doing in the CSU to educate our diverse group of students. They are the leaders that California will need to build strong communities and to power our economy in the upcoming decade and beyond.